


whisper of Temptation

by traitorhero



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Dark, F/M, Grief, Mind Manipulation, spoilers for episode 68
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2016-09-28
Packaged: 2018-08-16 23:00:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8120929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/traitorhero/pseuds/traitorhero
Summary: Whitestone was no stranger to the dead, nor the danger they posed.





	1. Chapter 1

* * *

  

_“Ever notice that the whisper of temptation can be heard farther than the loudest call to duty.” -_

_Earl Wilson_

 

* * *

She wasn’t sure why she was here. The forge itself was cold, a few tools scattered around the edge of the anvil. Vex leaned down and picked up an arrowhead that lay forgotten, or perhaps intentionally left aside. One of the edges was thicker than the other, leaving it unbalanced. Percy had probably decided to melt it down when they returned, perhaps to even reforge it into something wonderfully useful.

Her fingers tightened around the arrowhead as she fought the urge to sob. Vex felt her knees begin to buckle, and stumbled over to the workbench, falling into the chair beside it. The arrowhead in her hand felt slick, and Vex watched as a few lines of blood traced their way between the fingers of her hand to run down her wrist. Her palm ached, but she couldn’t find it in herself to release the last thing that Percy had made, no matter the pain it caused her.

If he was here, instead, he would pry her fingers open and take the arrowhead away from her. He would make a joke about Vex taking Vax’s job of being the broody one of the group as he tossed the arrowhead back in his pile of loose metal pieces. She would laugh, and he would hand her a handkerchief to wrap around her hand, ostensibly to stop the bleeding. Vex would pretend not to notice the de Rolo family crest stitched into the corner, nor the embroidered PdR underneath it. She would tease him, as was their custom, and he would take it in stride, the barest hint of something else, something that they hadn’t named, in his eyes.

“You should be here,” Vex whispered.

She brought her clenched fist up to her lips, pressing them gently against her knuckles in the mockery of a kiss. Her eyes stung as a few more tears dropped down her cheeks, though where the water came from she couldn’t be sure. She hadn’t eaten or taken anything to drink since before their battle with Ripley. Vax had looked concerned when she had refused the small meal the cooks of Whitestone had set before them, but she had been able to redirect his attentions to Keyleth. None of them had eaten much, and they had all but forcefed Keyleth and Pike in preparation for the morning. For the chance they had of bringing Percy back.

His body was sitting in the Temple of Pelor. They had taken it there as soon as they arrived, only to learn that no one, not even Pike, had the ability to bring him back in that moment. Rather than let time ravage the body, Keeper Yennen had called for blessed cloth, spelled against decay and rot, to wrap the body as they prepared for the next day and the task set before them. Two priests had agreed to sit in attendance of the body while Vox Machina slept. No one had commented on the weapons the priests had set nearby. Whitestone was no stranger to the dead, nor the danger they posed.

She had left when they had pulled out the cloth. Even though she had seen death before, that of her friends even, Vex doubted her ability to hold the mask she wore as Percy was wrapped in what could possibly be his burial shroud. No one had tried to stop her, for which she was grateful. It meant less witnesses to her shame as she threw up whatever had remained in her stomach. A few of the residents of Whitestone, recognizing her but not knowing what had befallen the last son of the de Rolo’s, had given her commiserating smiles before continuing on their way.

Vex drew in a deep breath and shook her head to try and clear it. Letting her hand fall back into her lap, she forced herself to relax. Her fingers loosened just enough so that she could barely see the metal sitting in a pool of blood in her palm.

“You can’t leave us,” she told it. “Not like this. Not like this.”

_What would you do if he died?_

The dark voice squirmed up from the back of her mind, and Vex closed her eyes. The dark ideas the sibilant whisper called up, of their failure, of Percy’s loss, threatened to overwhelm her.

It wasn’t hard to imagine his burial. Cassandra would lead the procession, as was her right. Keeper Yennen and Archibald would follow her, scattering incense and prayers to speed his soul to rest. Vox Machina would lead the rear, carrying the bier with his shrouded corpse. Pike and Scanlan would lead, with Vax and Keyleth bearing the weight behind them. She would be in the rear with Grog, barely managing to see three feet in front of her as they made their procession into the undercroft.

Once they were underground, he would be placed in his tomb. It would looked rushed, no one having expected the need to create something like this in such a short amount of time. Or maybe it wouldn’t. Keyleth would have done her best to sculpt a fitting resting place for him, with runes and carvings around the base depicting his life to the bitter end. They would lay him in that cold and empty room, sliding the stone across his face and forever hiding him from the world. And then they would leave him to rot, to moulder away until nothing remained but bones.

_What would happen without him there?_

Vex squeezed her eyes even more tightly shut, even as her imagination spun out. They would waste too much time on the funeral, losing the two weeks Percy had managed to gain for them from Tooma. Despite Scanlan’s spell, Vorugal would descend on Whitestone, blasting it away with icy breath. Gilmore would fall next, dead before the ice could take him, the magic he had poured into protecting Percy’s home bursting his heart within his chest. Cassandra would be crushed under the white dragon’s claws, forever ending the de Rolo line in Whitestone. Kash and Zahra would disappear in the battle, cracked into a thousand pieces that no one could identify, but dealing solid blows before their deaths.

And Vox Machina would survive, dealing a mortal blow to Vorugal and letting him bleed out in the middle of his last rampage. Whitestone would be gone, their last refuge, torn asunder by his rage. They would soldier on, leaving the bodies in mass graves, unable to even say goodbye properly. Eventually Raishan would fall, but not before taking one or two of them with her. Keyleth, maybe, her rage overshadowing her like it had Percy, making her take a risk that ended poorly. Or Scanlan, the strings of his instruments slack under his one skillful fingers.

“Please,” she begged as the images refused to stop assailing her mind.

Grog dead, his entrails spilling out across the ground. Allura and Kima, their hands reaching for each other, even in death. Trinket breathing his last against the ash, Raven’s Slumber cracked and useless in her hands. Vax... Vax spread in a farce of flight, his wings singed and burnt across the ground. And then, her alone, sitting in the middle of the ruins, the corpse of an ancient wyrm in front of her, and those of her friends around her.

 _I can change this_ , it murmured into her ear, it’s breath like the icy wind she pictured spilling from Vorugal’s maw. _I can stop this from happening._

“Stop, _please_.”

_What would you do to save him? To stop this future I’ve shown you?_

“Anything,” Vex whispered in answer. “I can’t lose them.” She paused, the truth working itself out of her throat. “I can’t lose him.”

The feeling of a hand, colder than it had any right to be, brushed against her cheek. She flinched away, opening her eyes and looking around the room.Though dim, she couldn’t see anything or anyone who could have touched her. She pressed her right hand against her cheek, feeling the chill that had seeped into her skin. The tear tracks across her skin had frozen, breaking beneath her fingers to fall silently to the floor.

_Anything?_

Vex felt her chin tremble, even as the invisible hand caressed her other cheek. The same chill came over her, though this time she only shuddered, rather than pull away. It slid down to her chin, exerting the slightest pressure for her to tilt her head up. The room itself looked empty still, and Vex heard no breath but her own.

“I...I...”

 _I can give him back to you, my child,_ the voice rasped. _He will return to you, the Thought to your Heart. This favor I will grant you._

The invisible hand released her chin, letting her drop it down towards her chest. Her breath, already short, quickened as she felt a hand grasp her left, the one that held the arrowhead. Vex watched as the blood in her palm rippled before receding into the arrowhead. The silvery metal darkened, turning a red so dark that it could have been mistaken for black. A crimson mist rose from it, spiraling into incomprehensible shapes before dissipating an inch above the arrowhead. The invisible fingers, feeling more like bones the more she focused on them, closed her fingers gently around the metal, cutting it off from her view.

“What do you want in return?” she managed to stammer.

 _Someone to aid me_ , it said. _Now let us go and_ _bring back your lost. We can discuss debts after he is returned to you._

Words Percy had often spoken broke through the horrible images the voice called to the forefront of her mind. Vex could almost hear him whispering to her that this was a bad deal. That she should run out of the room, that what was happening was not good. As soon as she registered the point her Percy-voice was making, the visions roared back, stripping what little peace of mind she had grabbed from her fingers.

 _He will be truly lost if you dally_ , the voice insisted, buoyed by the images it provided. _I can help you save the man you love._

“You’ll bring him back?” she asked, hating how her voice broke.

 _Of course, my Heart._ , it crooned. _It will be as if he never left._

Vex felt the fingers around her hand slide to her wrist. They tightened and tugged, the thin fingers betraying a strength she couldn’t see. She stumbled, catching herself against the worktable. The hand released Vex’s wrist, briefly stabilizing her by holding her elbow, before settling on the back of her neck. The touch was light but insistent, guiding her out the door of Percy’s workshop. She rolled her shoulders, trying to dislodge the phantom fingers. A light chuckle made the skin on her neck bristle, and the fingers tightened for a moment on the back of her neck. The gesture, whether a threat or encouragement to continue, spurred her forward. Vex swallowed, feeling the slick arrowhead like a promise in her left hand and the fingers on her neck like a hangman’s noose.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm working through my grief in the only way I know how.
> 
> The Heart and Thought are bastardized from what I found on the hierarchy of Vecna's worship.
> 
> Thanks to plketrickfoot for beta'ing for this!


	2. Chapter 2

The nights were still cold in Whitestone, the barest edge of spring not enough to temper the wintery winds that swept off the mountains. The cold hand on the back of her neck loosened slightly as she turned towards the second floor. The images returned, though not quite as insistent as they had been in Percy’s workshop, a silent urging to be quick to grab whatever items she needed.

The doors to everyone's rooms were closed as she snuck down the hall. As she passed by her brother’s, she stopped. Placing her ear against it, she could barely make out the sound of the deep, even breathing of two sleepers. The arrowhead in her left hand pulsed urgently as she raised her hand to knock on his door. The image of Vax, burnt on the ground, his eyes staring sightless into the smoky sky, forced itself to the forefront of her mind. Vex let her hand drop, relaxing into the now comforting pressure of the hand on her neck as it soothed away the nightmare.

 _Let him sleep_ , the voice whispered. _Let him wake on the morn to the victory you have been given over death._

The sound of covers shifting in the room, and a low voice too indistinct for her to make out, made her shift away from the door. It was easy enough to skip over the doors of everyone else, to shove away the need to check that they all still breathed, and enter her own room. Trinket raised his head as she entered, grunting softly as she made her way to her armoire.

“Hey buddy,” she said. “Go back to sleep. You need to get your strength back, yeah?”

He tried to stand, before letting out a low moan and settling back on the floor. Vex smiled sadly at him as she struggled to affix the clasp of her cloak with only one hand. As Trinket shuffled around into a comfortable position, her right hand ghosted over the edge of Fenthras. The wood curled around her fingers, warm in a way that was almost unnatural for what should have been dead wood. She snatched up her quiver, slinging both of them over her shoulder. Trinket’s breathing had evened out again as she closed her door, the lock clicking shut quietly behind her.

 _Quickly, my Heart,_ the voice said. _Time is short._

Vex nodded, quickening her pace as she made her way back down the hallway. One of the boards creaked beneath her feet, shattering the eerie quiet of the night. Vax’s door cracked open, and he stuck his head out. His hair was tangled, as if he had been sleeping fitfully, but his eyes found her immediately. He let himself out of his room, the door still slightly open, and took a few steps towards her. The fingers on the back of her neck tightened, and Vex took a step back.

“Vex?” he asked. “What are you doing up?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” she replied. “I thought I might go for a walk.”

“It’s the middle of the night.”

“Go to back to sleep, Vax,” she urged him. “You and Keyleth both need it.”

“Not if you aren’t,” he said, taking another step towards her.

The hand on the back of her neck slid down, curling over her shoulder and pressing her to move back again. Vax’s eyes narrowed, and he took another step forward. Despite the cold squeeze of the invisible fingers, Vex held her ground. She lifted her right hand out in front of her, and Vax stopped, leaving a few feet between them.

“I just want to be alone right now,” she told him.

“Like hell you do,” he said, running a hand through his messy hair. “I know you, Vex’ahlia, and I know what you’ve been doing to yourself because of this. You are not okay.”

“No one is okay,” she hissed, barely remembering to keep her voice low enough so as not wake the others. “But Keyleth needs you-”

“You need me too,” he argued, taking another step towards her.

The fingers pressed into the tender flesh of her neck, the cold that emanated from them chilling her to the core. She shivered and clutched the arrowhead in her left hand. The edges dug into her palm again, and she felt blood begin to trickle from the cuts again. Vex met her brother’s eyes for a moment, before looking away. The pity in his eyes, the knowledge that he felt the pain she did, albeit in a different way, made her stomach twist painfully.

“I’m fine,” she whispered.

Vax scoffed at her weak declaration. “You are not. Come here -”

He reached out for her right hand, a measure of compassion on his face. Vex recoiled, drawing her hand back to her chest. Her brother looked at her, the compassion dropping from his face in favor of worry. She tried to give him a smile, to assuage his fears, but it twisted on her lips into a grimace.

“Vax, I have to go. Please.”

“Where?” he asked, taking a step between her and steps to the first floor.

Vex shook her head, ignoring the uncomfortable press of fingers on her neck. “Just go back to Keyleth, Vax. I’m going to fix this. Just _please_ let me leave.”

“Fix what?”

“Percy,” she said, her voice breaking on his name.

“Pike and Keyleth are going to bring him back in the morning,” he told her, his tone softening. “I promise you, that idiot is going to be back, and you can give him hell for leaving us at all.”

Vex closed her eyes, feeling a few tears leak out between her lashes. The images came back, weaving the tale in horrific illustrations beneath her lids. “He won’t, I’ve seen it. I’ve seen what will happen, Vax, and I lose all of you. I can’t, _please_.”

“What are you talking about?”

His voice was too close. Before she could move away, his arms were around her, his cheek pressed to hers. He stiffened at the contact, and just as suddenly as his arms had encircled her, they grabbed at her shoulders. Vex opened her eyes, meeting the fearful ones of her brother evenly.

“Vex’ahlia?”

The broken sound of his voice made the tears drip down her face even faster. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but no noise passed her lips. She tried again, but it was as if someone had cut out her tongue. The hand on the back of her neck clenched, for the first time becoming truly painful. A startled gasp broke through whatever was stifling her voice. Vex looked at Vax, a wave of fear crashing over her. The cold that had rested on her neck ran down her spine, driving all the warmth from her in an instant.

_Time is running out, my Heart._

Vax recoiled as if he had been struck across the face, his hands dropping from her shoulders. She swayed, the grasp on her neck the only thing keeping her upright. Without her directive, Vex felt herself take a step towards the stairs. Her left hand shook, a cold that mirrored the one at her back making her fingers feel as if they were made of ice. Vex looked back to Vax, mouthing apologies she couldn’t say. Another trembling footstep brought her closer to the staircase, when Vax’s arms wrapped around her again, tugging her backwards and to the ground.

 _No!_ the voice snarled.

Vex flinched, the wordless anger seeming to echo around the hallway. The cold feeling of the hand on the back of her neck vanished, replaced by the warm, panicked, breath of her brother. Her own breath came quick and stuttered, her heart beating fast in her chest. Vax’s arms tightened around her as he sat them both up, something that sounded like a prayer tumbling from his lips. The images of the future seemed to disperse like smoke as he whispered the unfamiliar words against her neck.

She let herself fall limp against him, letting the meaningless words wash over her. Her left hand, still feeling as frozen as the surface of a winter lake, flared with pain as whatever Vax spoke drove the supernatural cold from her body. The sounds of doors opening did nothing to stop the quiet litany he breathed against her skin. Through her tears, she saw Keyleth standing by Vax’s door, pity and grief evident on her face. Grog’s footfalls were easy enough to feel, even as she lay on top of her brother.

“Pike!” Vax called out.

The cold rushed back into her limbs as soon as he called out to the gnome cleric. Vex shivered violently, her body doing its best to try and keep the warmth Vax had provided. The cold fingers, which had felt so comforting before, wrapped around her neck and began to choke her. Vex gasped, her back arching as she tried to draw in air. Vax’s grip intensified, struggling to hold her as she slapped his arm with her right hand.

 _You will lose him_ , the voice said. _And then they will all fall, one by one._

“Listen to me,” Vax said. “It is _lying_ to you. We are going to save Percival, I promise you that.”

 _He’s the one lying to you_ , it whispered. _I have the power to save the man you love. They would stop you._

“Whatever it promised you, Vex’ahlia, whatever comes back, that will not be your Percy,” Vax whispered in her ear. “He wouldn’t want that.”

“Vax,” she rasped, releasing the last bit of air that rattled in her throat.

 _You would be my Heart, Vex’ahlia_ , the voice rumbled. _My power will be yours. A life eternal would be yours, surrounded by those you love._

“Shut up,” Vax growled back. “She’s made her decision. Fuck off!”

_Has she?_

The hand against her throat squeezed, and Vex felt something crack. She reached towards her throat, trying to find some purchase on the incorporeal thing intent on choking the life out of her. Pike appeared by her side, finally reaching their side after Vax’s call. Her holy symbol glowed in the center of her chest, giving her skin the appearance of being on fire as well. The voice snarled, and the fingers on her throat loosened. Vex coughed, but the pressure the hand still exerted kept the air from her lungs.

Vex looked to Pike, trying to communicate that there was something wrong, only to see the cleric’s eyes glowing with an unearthly light. They were focused on something above her and Vax, and Vex did her best to follow the line her eyes followed. The hand fell from her throat, slapped away as a wave of divine energy washed over them. In the instant that it disappeared, Vex caught the barest glimpse of a humanoid figure, withered and weathered, missing its left eye and hand.

 _Only whisper for my aid, and I shall give it to you, my child_ , the figure, Vecna, said, reaching its hand towards her again. _The world would bow and break to your desires._

Vex shook her head unable to voice her answer. She drew her left hand up, closing her eyes as she released the bloodied and blackened arrowhead from her grasp. It bounced on the rug, tumbling to rest between her and the demigod. His countenance, flickering as it was, snarled before another surge of divine energy from Pike forced him back again.

 _I will not make this offer again,_ Vecna warned her. _My favor, once lost, can never been regained._

“I don’t want it,” Vex croaked.

The visage sneered at her, before another wave of soothing divine energy swept through the hallway and banished him. Vax muttered something under his breath, pressing his lips to her hair. Vex looked at Pike, and saw only compassion in the cleric’s face. She averted her gaze, wincing slightly as the pain in her throat intensified at the movement. The others talked around her, but Vex couldn’t help but let her eyes be drawn to the blackened arrowhead resting a foot from her feet.

The crimson mist that drifted off of it was more sinister than it had appeared when Vecna had given it to her.  Vex shuddered, curling even further into her brother’s grasp. She reached a hand up to wipe at her face, only to wince as the motion tugged at the deep cut on her hand. A few drops must have smeared across her cheek, if the concerned sound Pike made was any indication. The cleric’s small hand grabbed hers, tugging it away from her face. The small flash of warm divine energy made Vex want to tug her hand away, but Pike held on, her small stature belaying her strength.

“Are you okay?” she asked. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”

“I’m fine,” Vex said hoarsely.

The words hurt to say, and she couldn’t stop the small cough that followed. A sad smile crossed Pike’s face as she released Vex’s hand, bringing it up to rest against her throat. Again, the healing energy coursed through her, and she had the unpleasant feeling of something realigning itself within her throat. It still felt tender and bruised, but not to the extent it had before.

As she turned to thank Pike, Vex saw Grog leaning down towards the shimmering arrowhead, his fingers centimeters from the dark object. Her brother’s arms were loose enough that she had no problem breaking through them.

“Don’t touch that!” Vex shouted, the sound tearing through her throat like a knife.

Grog looked up at Vax’s panicked cry, giving her just enough time to slap his hand away from the dangerous object.The mist surrounding it seemed to swirl up and around her fingers as she drew her hand away. Grog frowned, but took a step away from the arrowhead. Vex let out a sigh of relief, swallowing back some blood that had entered her mouth. Her brother’s arms wrapped around her again, pulling her back from the cursed object as well.

“What is that?” Keyleth asked, walking up next to Grog.

Pike walked around to see it as well, her holy symbol grasped stiffly in her hand. Like the demigod, the mist recoiled from the divine light that radiated from her. As the mist retreated, the metal grew darker, as if it was retreating inside in an attempt to hide from Sarenrae’s light.

“It’s dark,” Pike said, her hand reaching out towards it. A spark flew between her hand and the metal, and Pike jerked her hand backwards at the shock. “There’s a spell contained within it.”

“He said it would bring back Percy,” Vex whispered. She kept her voice low, trying to keep from hurting her throat any more. “I...”

“It’s okay,” Vax told her.

He shifted her in his arms, and for the first time since Vecna had appeared, she saw his face. There were tears flowing down his cheeks, making the two of them a matched set. As she tried to turn away from him, he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes. There was no condemnation in them. Sadness, yes, and disappointment, but not the hate she had been expecting.

“It’s really not,” she said.

His hand came up to the back of her head, and she let her head be pressed against his shoulder. “No,” he agreed. “But you didn't do anything wrong.”

“I almost made a deal with him,” Vex muttered into his rough-spun wool shirt. “I saw such terrible things, and I couldn’t...”

Vax shushed her, and she hit his chest lightly with her fist. The sizzle-snap of energy being dispersed made her look over her shoulder just in time to see a brilliant bolt of energy slam into the arrowhead. The metal cracked, splintering into three separate pieces. The unholy light that had inhabited it disappeared, and as she watched, blood seemed to weep from the fragmented pieces, staining the rug beneath it. Vex turned her face back into her brother’s chest, rather than face the truth of what she could have done with the artifact.

“C’mon, Stubby,” Vax said, pushing her off of his lap. His hands left her for barely a second as he stood, and he pulled her up as soon as he had his feet under him. “Let’s get you to bed, yeah?”

Vex nodded as she leaned on him, her head tucked under his chin. He guided her towards his room, around the pieces of the broken arrowhead. Keyleth looked at the two of them, sharing a look she couldn’t see with her brother before moving towards Pike. Vex grabbed her hand as she passed, giving it a little tug in the direction of Vax’s room. The druid gave her a small smile and nod before turning back to Pike, her hands moving in small gestures as a bit of silken cloth spilled from the ether.

The door closed behind them, cutting them off from the rest of the party. Vex stayed silent as Vax helped her out of her cloak and boots, tossing them off to the side. Her skin, already cold from the touch of the lich demigod, broke out into goosebumps as she doffed her armor as well, leaving her only in a cotton shirt and breeches. Vax pulled her to his bed, climbing in after her. There was still a bit of heat in the sheets, and she couldn’t help but curl up into it. Vax’s arms wrapped around her, drawing her into his chest. He was silent as she warmed herself, his hand running along the bumps of her braid. Slowly, Vex felt herself drifting off, the warmth and her brother’s even breathing making it hard to stay conscious.

The sound of the door opening roused her for a moment, and she struggled to raise her head. Vax made a low noise, urging her back to sleep. The bed dipped behind her, and she felt another body arrange itself against her back. Keyleth murmured something that her tired brain couldn’t comprehend, which Vax answered in a similar tone. The two of them quieted, and Vex let herself fall into a deep, dreamless, sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't help but picture Vecna as Palpatine. I mean, Delilah totally could have been Anakin in her desire to bring Sylas back.
> 
> Brother-sister talk incoming, as well as the possible resurrection.


	3. Chapter 3

Wakefulness came to her in stages. The heat at her back moved, the covers sliding back and letting letting the cool air of the room wash against her back. Vex groaned and reached backwards, pulling the blankets back against her. Keyleth’s voice murmured something as she burrowed back against her brother’s chest. His reply made little more sense, sounding more like a growl from Trinket than words. There was the sound of water splashing, before the floor creaked and the door opened. A few minutes passed before it closed again, and she heard Keyleth say something to Vax. When he didn’t respond, Vex let herself drift again. 

She wasn’t sure how long a time had passed when he jostled her shoulder. Vex blinked with bleary eyes as he slid out from beneath the bedspread. Less than a second later they were torn from her as well, flung well over the end of the bed. Vax raised an eyebrow as she grumbled at him, and grabbed her arm when she flung it in his direction. He levered her out of the bed, her feet hitting the cool rug of the room.

“Clean yourself up,” he said. “Basin’s in the corner.”

Vex nodded, still blinking the last grains of sleep from her eyes as she walked in the direction he pointed. The water in the basin was lukewarm, and had most likely been sitting since Keyleth had left. It was enough to shake the last bits of grogginess from her head as she splashed it across her face. Stripping to her breast band, Vex grabbed the small sliver of soap resting in a dish beside the basin. Rubbing it between her hands into a lather, she ran the soapy water across her arms and face. She took care on her left hand, scouring the brown blood that had dried against her skin.  Dipping her hands into the water, she rinsed the soap off, taking care to clean off the last of the blood. As she turned her left hand palm up, she couldn’t help but see the thin scar that now bisected it. 

A towel appeared in her peripheral vision, drawing her attention from the reminder of what she had almost done. She took it, drying herself quickly. A shirt was handed to her as soon as she was done, and Vex pulled it on, noting that it was one of her own, and not the one she had just taken off. She could see her brother out of the corner of her eye as she fiddled with the end of her braid. Vax sighed, walking out of her view. The sound of the bed settling let her know where he had gone.

“Come here, would you?”

Vex bit her lip, weighing her options. With a sigh, she made her way over to the bed, taking a seat next to him. She kept her eyes towards the ground, even as he shifted around, his knees pressing into her back as he situated himself at her back. Knowing what he planned to do, Vex shifted her braid over her shoulder. Vax pulled the tie and began to comb his fingers through her hair, ridding it of any knots that might have made their home.

“I would have done it,” she admitted to him, her voice barely above a whisper. Vax’s fingers stuttered for a moment, before resuming their work.

“I know.”

There was a strange sense of certainty in his words that made her heart stutter in her chest. It spoke to the burden he carried that she couldn’t understand, to the sacrifice he had made for her own return. 

“Then why are you being like this?”

“Because you didn’t,” he answered. His fingers tugged at her hair, separating it into strands. “And because you’re hurting.”

“So’s Keyleth,” Vex argued. “Scanlan, too, though he won’t show it as easily. I don’t know what Grog thinks about this, and Pike... she blames herself, I know, but she shouldn’t. We needed her in Whitestone.”

“ _ She _ blames herself?”

“Because she wasn’t there. Or because I wasn’t smart enough to see that he needed me by him. I could have healed him...”

Vex broke off, tasting blood as she bit the inside of her lip to stop the rest of it from spilling out. Her brother didn’t say anything, working his way through the length of her hair. It continued for a few minutes, the only sound his even breathing and her stuttered breaths following. Soon enough, she felt the braid thump against her back.

“Percival wouldn’t want you to blame yourself,” he told her. 

Vex snorted, hating how it sounded like she was sobbing. “Of course he wouldn’t. He has the claim on terrible things like that.”

“Just like how I have my brooding,” Vax agreed. “Don’t believe for an instant that I haven’t heard all of you whispering about it behind my back.”

“In front of your face, more like it,” she shot back, shoving him with her shoulder as he retook his seat at the edge of the bed. 

“It’s your face too.”

“My face is a baroness’ face, thank you very much,” she said, a wet giggle escaping her lips. “Much better than yours.”

“I’m not going to argue that,” Vax said, the corners of his lips turning up as she covered her mouth to muffle the sound. “But you are not to blame for what happened to Percy.”

“I could have-”

“Do not,” he said. “Do not go down that hole. There was nothing that you could have done to save him. Not in that moment.”

Vex nodded, the smile that her brother had managed to charm out of her falling from her face. Her eyes burned, but no tears fell. Truth be told, she doubted that she had any left to shed. In the last two days she had cried more than she had learning of her mother’s death, more than when Emon fell, or when they had found Tiberius’ body in the mangled ruins of Vorugal’s lair. It made little sense, but perhaps it was everything catching up with her.

“Was it like this for you?” she asked him. He made a confused noise, and she clarified, “In the tomb. When I... fell.”

Vax didn’t answer for a moment. She let him, tugging her braid back over her shoulder. Her fingers ran over it with a steady beat as he considered his words. Keyleth had let her know enough of what he had been like in the scant moments she had been gone, her own grief intertwining with the description. The choice he had made had been quick, unlike the one she had been offered. The difference between a knife’s edge and the head of an arrow, perhaps. 

“I didn't even think about it at first,” he said finally. “You are everything to me, and I offered all of myself to save you.”

“I can’t stop thinking about it,” Vex said. Her left hand clenched, her fingers digging into the skin underneath her new scar. “I can’t stop seeing his face, or the look on hers, and-”

“Shhh, shhh,” Vax whispered, leaning over and pulling her into a hug. “It’s going to be all right, yeah?”

“And if it isn’t?”

“Then we... we move on,” he said, slowly. “And it will hurt, but we will carry him with us. That’s what Percy would want.”

“I want him back.”

“I know.”

They sat there, rocking slowly back and forth. After a few minutes, Vex pushed away, wiping at her still dry eyes. The water from the basin had done little to refresh them, and she found herself blinking rapidly to staunch the stinging. Rather than look at her brother, she got up and walked towards the door. 

“Vex’ahlia?”

Vax’s voice stopped her up short. Turning slightly, Vex looked him in the eyes for the first time since the night before. That cold demeanor, the one he took when he was being truly serious, had come over him again.

“What?”

“Don’t make an offering for him.”

It took a moment for Vex to understand what he meant. As it did, an anger rose in her chest. She turned to fully face him, only to see the same cold expression. She strode to stand in front of him, keeping just enough of a distance that he would have to reach for her.

“He’s my friend,” she said, unable to comprehend what he was asking of her. “I have every right-”

“I will not see you become me,” Vax said. The words were tired and forced, as if what he was saying pained him. “You would give up the world for him, I’ve seen it.”

“I didn’t.”

“You could have,” he told her. “You would offer anything to see him whole and hale among us again.” He raised a hand to stop her retort. “Not just for yourself. You would do it for Keyleth, Scanlan, Pike, even fucking Grog. But it would change you, in ways that you couldn’t imagine.”

“It would be my choice,” she argued. “Just as last night would have been my choice. You cannot-”

“I can’t,” he interrupted her. Vex reigned in her tirade, seeing that he had more to say. “But I can ask you. Please.”

The door creaked open behind her, cutting off her response. As they both looked to it, Keyleth stuck her head in. There was a shaky smile on her lips, though her red-rimmed eyes did little to shake the sadness hid behind it. Vex tried to wipe the anger off of her face, but from the way Keyleth’s face dimmed, she hadn’t done it quick enough.

“We’re getting ready to head down,” Keyleth said. 

Vex nodded. From the way Keyleth ducked out of the room, she was fairly sure that Vax had done the same. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Vex grabbed her cloak from where it had been tossed the night before. Vax said nothing as she put on her armor and slung Fenthras over her back. His feet hit the floor behind her, just barely making enough sound for her to hear. By the time she had everything situated, she could see him dressed in his own armor, the pitch black of the raven feathers looking like oil in the sunlight streaming through the window. Vex stepped towards the door, before pausing and looking over her shoulder at him. 

“What would you have done if I agreed to his deal?” she asked. 

“Don’t ask me that,” Vax answered, his voice tight with pain. 

She nodded, biting her lip as she exited the room. Scanlan and Grog were standing at the edge of the staircase, and both looked up as she walked towards them. The bard looked as if he was about to say something, but Grog stopped him. The goliath gave her a nod, and Vex couldn’t help but nod back. He and Scanlan fell into step behind her, and she couldn’t help but be glad at the barrier between her and her brother. 

Cassandra stood at the front of the foyer. Unlike the rest of them, her eyes were free of red. Vex looked a little closer, and caught the slight shimmer of powder. She reached up to her own eyes self consciously. She had avoided looking into the mirror in her brother’s room, both out of fear for what she would see, and for what she wouldn’t. Cassandra’s eyes swept over them, and Vex could see her counting under her breath, so much like Percy that it almost hurt physically. 

Without a word, Cassandra strode to the doors, shoving them open and letting the cool morning air in. Vex grabbed the edges of her cloak and bundled it against herself more as they walked down the path into Whitestone. There were people lining the streets as they passed, silent as the grave. A few of the children looked up at their parents, as if unsure of what was going on. The parents and villagers were themselves stoic, watching as the last surviving de Rolo and their saviors, Vox Machina, made their way to the Temple of Pelor. 

The two priests who had stood vigil over the body opened the doors as they approached. As their small group entered, they stepped outside, closing the doors. Vax’s message still sat on the oak, and Vex couldn’t help but long for that time when the biggest thing they had to worry about was vampires. Things had seemed so much simpler back then. It had been easy to right the wrongs. 

Pike stepped out in front of them, stepping on the stool placed before the altar. Vex took a place next to Grog, as far from Vax as she could. Her twin looked at her but stood next to Keyleth, his hand intertwining with the druid’s. Pike’s voice, ringing out in the unearthly tones of Celestial, began the ritual. Her form began to glow, a soft gold that seemed to extend out from her hands to Percy’s body. 

“Who will make the first offering?” she asked, her voice echoing strangely through the temple.

Cassandra stepped forward, a trio of arrows in her hand. “You promised me that you wouldn’t abandon me again,” she said, placing them across his chest. “A de Rolo keeps his promises, Percy.”

“The second?”

“You said that you would live as long as Whitestone lives,” Keyleth said.

She seemed to glide forward, a chunk of whitestone in her hands. Vex watched as she set it by Percy’s head. If her fingers lingered a moment, brushing back an errant hair, no one said anything. The glow from Pike seemed to brighten, though Vex couldn’t tell if it was real, or her own wishful thinking as the divine light bounced off the glittering stone offering.

“And the final.”

Vax stood at the altar, moving before Pike had finished speaking. Vex stopped, watching as her brother leant towards Percy’s head. He placed no offering, but cupped his hands around his mouth as he whispered something in Percy’s ear. As quickly as he had appeared, he slunk back towards Keyleth, his arm going around her waist. Keyleth leaned into him, tears flowing freely from her eyes.

The glow around Pike intensified, streaks of black intertwining with grey and white. Vex closed her eyes as the beautiful tones of Celestial rose, almost reaching an uncomfortable level. Her fingers trailed across the scar on her left hand in time with the incomprehensible words. One final note, higher than she thought Pike could ever reach, hung in the air. And in the seconds left to her, Vex prayed for a miracle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it folks!
> 
> I'm leaving it open-ended, mostly for my own heart. Sorry! (Though I pray to the dice gods that Percy lives.)


End file.
